What to Do with a Waterlogged Lawn?

Lawn aeration adds air pockets and soil pore space for water drainage.

Constant puddles dotting your lawn is a symptom of a much larger soil condition called compaction. As soil particles move closer together through heavy foot traffic and improper yard care, air pockets disappear and suffocate grass roots. Water on the soil surface has no space to percolate into the ground, and the result is a waterlogged lawn. Repairing your wet lawn requires specific steps to reduce grass die-back and improve soil drainage.

Removing Excess Water

Before you can improve the soil, excess water needs to be removed from the lawn. Using a basic broom, gently swipe the broom's bristles against the lawn to move the water into a nearby drain. The soil cannot be muddy during improvements. Allow the lawn to dry to a moist consistency. A dry, summer period is perfect to evaporate remaining water from the ground.

Aerating

Lawn aeration is the process of pulling 1- to 2-inch long plugs from the soil using a hollow tine aerator machine. Home-improvement stores commonly rent the tool. The lawn should be moist but not wet; aeration is commonly performed in spring and fall. Pass the aerator across the lawn so that each plug hole is about 2 inches from adjacent holes. Removing soil plugs reduces compaction by adding air pockets to the ground. The aeration process also decreases thatch, which is a layer of decomposing stems and foliage. As a result of the numerous plug holes, moisture moves efficiently through the ground and creates a deeper grass root system as the lawn recovers from water stress.

Top-Dressing

If you want to increase the organic matter within your lawn's soil, spread a 1/2-inch layer of shredded leaves, compost or manure on the grass. After the application, the grass should be visible above the organic matter. The grass still needs to photosynthesize effectively to return to vigorous growth. As the organic matter slowly falls between grass blades, it also falls into the plug holes. Because the organic matter only partially fills the holes, the lawn maintains adequate air pockets and has an additional nutrient source for rapid grass growth.

Mowing

The removed soil plugs should remain on the soil surface, along with the layer of organic matter you added. The next mowing session helps the soil plugs and organic matter integrate with the lawn for a nutrient-rich soil structure. As you pass the lawnmower across the lawn, the soil plugs will break down and mix with the organic matter. The mixture will combine slowly with the lawn as earthworms and microorganisms feed greedily on the nutrients. Earthworms and microorganisms increase soil's friable texture as they move through the ground. Your waterlogged lawn should remain well-drained with healthy soil and busy earthworms and microorganisms.

About the Author

Writing professionally since 2010, Amy Rodriguez cultivates successful cacti, succulents, bulbs, carnivorous plants and orchids at home. With an electronics degree and more than 10 years of experience, she applies her love of gadgets to the gardening world as she continues her education through college classes and gardening activities.